Mini Flying Robot Hovers Like Jellyfish

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It doesn't float like a butterfly or sting like a bee, but it can
hover like a jellyfish.

A tiny flapping robot, developed by researchers at New York
University, stays aloft by mimicking the pulsating movement of an
ocean-dwelling jellyfish. This new method of flight could be used
in robots for surveillance, search-and-rescue efforts, or the
monitoring of traffic and environmental conditions.

Many flying robots have been
modeled after insects, such as fruit flies. But the flapping
of a fly's wing is inherently unstable, and the insect must
constantly adjust its flight to avoid a gust of wind or a
predator. Achieving such kind of complex control in a tiny robot
poses a major challenge.

Instead, the NYU researchers designed a prototype robot whose
flight resembles
how a jellyfish swims — a method that doesn't require any
control or feedback to stay stable. The device, presented Nov. 24
at a fluid-dynamics meeting in Pittsburgh, has four wings that
look like flower petals, which flap up and down. While the wings'
pulsating motions resemble swimming jellyfish, the robot's flight
method is actually more similar to a moth's. [ See
Video of Flying Jellyfish Robot ]

The winged bot is 3 inches (8 centimeters) wide and weighs only
0.07 ounces (2 grams). It can ascend, hover or fly in a
particular direction, but it can't steer. The robot's size is
limited by its weight and power, the researchers found.

The robot is just a proof of principle, and is still far from
being a practical robot, study researcher Leif Ristroph, of NYU,
said in a statement.

Researchers are working to shrink robots down to a centimeter, so
they can fly in small areas or go undetected. The jellyfish bot
represents a blueprint for more sophisticated vehicles that have
the potential to be miniaturized, Ristroph said.